Mountain Creations can assist you with all aspects of building and buying your cedar log home in Florida.
Contact us TODAY!
800.661.5647
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

A mild, sunny climate is one of Florida's most important natural resources, making it a major tourist center and a retirement home for millions of transplanted northerners. Average annual temperatures range from 65° to 70°F (18° to 21°C) in the north, and from 74° to 77°F (23° to 25°C) in the southern peninsula and on the Keys. At Jacksonville, the average annual temperature is 68°F (20°C); the average low is 57°F (14°C), the average high 79°F (26°C). At Miami, the annual average is 76°F (24°C), with a low of 69°F (21°C) and a high of 83°F (28°C). Key West has the highest annual average temperature in the US, at 78.2°F (25.7°C). The record high temperature, 109°F (43°C), was registered at Monticello on 29 June 1931; the record low, –2°F (–19°C), at Tallahassee on 13 February 1899.

Florida's proximity to the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico, and the state's many inland lakes and ponds, together account for the high humidity and generally abundant rainfall, although precipitation can vary greatly from year to year and serious droughts have occurred. At Jacksonville, the average annual precipitation (1971–2000) was 52.3 in (132.8 cm), with an average of 116 days of precipitation a year. At Miami during the same period, precipitation averaged 58.5 in (148.6 cm), with 130 rainy days a year. Rainfall is unevenly distributed throughout the year, more than half generally occurring from June through September; periods of extremely heavy rainfall are common. The highest 24-hour total ever recorded in the US, 38.7 in (98.3 cm), fell at Yankeetown, west of Ocala on the Gulf coast, on 5–6 September 1950. Despite the high annual precipitation rate, the state also receives abundant sunshine—61% of the maximum possible at Jacksonville, and 68% at Miami. Snow is virtually unheard of in southern Florida but does fall on rare occasions in the panhandle and the northern peninsula.

Winds are generally from the east and southeast in the southern peninsula; in northern Florida, winds blow from the north in winter, bringing cold snaps, and from the south in summer. Average wind velocities are 7.9 mph (12.7 km/hr) at Jacksonville and 9.2 mph (14.8 km/hr) at Miami. Florida's long coastline makes it highly vulnerable to hurricanes and tropical storms, which may approach from either the Atlantic or the Gulf coast, bringing winds of up to 150 mph (240 km/hr). Hurricane Donna, which struck the state 9–10 September 1960, and until 1992 was considered the most destructive in Florida's history, caused an estimated $300 million in damage. On 23–24 August 1992, Hurricane Andrew caused over $10 billion in damage in Florida, making it the most costly insured disaster in US history. In addition to hurricanes and tropical storms, tornadoes and waterspouts are not uncommon in Florida.

Florida, the most populous state in the southeastern US, is also one of the fastest growing of the 50 states. In 1960, it was the 10th most populous state; by 1980, it ranked 7th with a population of 9,746,324; and by 1990, it ranked 4th, with a population of 12,937,926. Between 1990 and 2000, Florida had the 3rd-largest population gain among the states, surpassed only by California and Texas. In that decade, Florida's population grew from 12,937,926 to 15,982,378, an increase of 23.5% (also one of the largest percentage gains in the country). In 2002, Florida had the 4th-largest population of all 50 states, with an estimated total of 16,713,149, a 4.6% increase since 2000. By 2025 Florida is expected to be the 3rd most populous state, with a population of 20.7 million.

About 47% of Florida's land area—16,285,000 acres (6,590,000 hectares)—was forested in 2002, when the state had about 2.2% of all forested land in the US. A total of 4,016,000 acres (1,625,000 hectares) was owned by the forest industry. The most common tree is the pine, which occurs throughout the state but is most abundant in the north.

Florida's logging industry is concentrated in the northern part of the state. The most important forestry product is pulpwood for paper manufacturing. Lumber production in 2002 was 888 million board feet, mostly softwoods.

Four national forests—Apalachicola, Ocala, Osceola, and Choctawhatchee—covering 1,434,000 acres (580,034 hectares) are located in Florida. State forests covered 1,403,000 acres (567,794 hectares) in 2002. Three of the main activities of state forests are forest management, outdoor recreation, and wildlife management.

Virtually all of Florida's natural forest had been cleared by the mid-20th century; the forests existing today are thus almost entirely the result of reforestation. Since 1928, more than 5.6 billion seedlings have been planted in the state.

Florida's housing market fluctuated widely in the 1970s and early 1980s. During the mid-1970s recession, home buying dropped off markedly, and much newly completed housing could not be sold. By late in the decade, however, the unused housing stock had been depleted, and a new building boom was under way. The number of housing units in Florida increased 73.2% between 1970 and 1980, but only by 39.4% between 1980 and 1990. In 1990, 35% of all housing units had been built in the previous decade; only 3.7% were built before 1940.

In 2002, there were an estimated 7,624,378 housing units in Florida, ranking the state fourth in the nation for total number of housing units (after California, Texas, and New York). About 6,568,733 of the units were occupied; 70.4% were owneroccupied. About 52.5% of all units were single-family, detached homes; 11.8% were in buildings with 20 units or more; and about 11% were mobile homes. It was estimated that about 222,508 units were without telephone service, 27,078 lacked complete plumbing facilities, and 38,126 lacked complete kitchen facilities. About 76% of all units relied on electricity for heating; about 2,189 units were equipped for solar power heating. The average household size was 2.48 people.

In 2002, 185,431 new privately owned housing units were authorized for construction. Multifamily housing ranges from beachfront luxury high rises along the Gold Coast to dilapidated residential hotels in the South Beach section of Miami Beach. In 2002, the median value of one-family homes was $128,120. The median monthly cost for mortgage owners was $1,091 while renters paid a median of $702 per month. Florida received over $280.6 million in community planning and development aid from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development in 2002.

The Division of Florida Land Sales and Condominiums, within the Department of Business Regulation, registers all sellers of subdivided land and oversees the advertising and selling of land, condominiums, and cooperatives. A major controversy involving condominiums in the early 1970s centered on "rec leases." Until the practice was outlawed in mid-decade, condominium developers often retained ownership of such recreational facilities as the swimming pool, clubhouse, and tennis courts, requiring apartment purchasers to pay rent for their use. The rents were generally set quite low at the time of sale, but raised sharply soon after.

Florida has nine major league professional sports teams: the Miami Dolphins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League; the Miami Heat and the Orlando Magic of the National Basketball Association; the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League; and the Florida Marlins and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays of Major League Baseball. Two WNBA teams and two Major League Soccer teams folded or relocated in 2002. Of the football teams, the Dolphins have been by far the most successful, winning the Super Bowl in 1973 (following the NFL's only undefeated season) and 1974, and appearing in three other Super Bowls (in 1972, 1983, and 1985). The Tampa Bay Buccaneers captured a Super Bowl title in 2003, their first ever since joining the NFL in the 1970s. Many Major League Baseball teams have their spring training camps in Florida and play exhibition games (in the "Grapefruit League") in the spring.

Several tournaments on both the men's and women's professional golf tours are played in Florida. In auto racing, the Daytona 500 is a top race on the NASCAR Winston Cup circuit, and the Pennzoil 400 is run at the Homestead-Miami Speedway, while the 24 Hours of Daytona is one of the top sports car races in the world. Three of the major collegiate football bowl games are played in the state: the Orange Bowl in Miami, the Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, and the Florida Citrus Bowl in Orlando.

In collegiate sports, football dominates. The University of Florida, Florida State, and the University of Miami all emerged as nationally ranked powerhouses in the 1980s and 1990s. Miami won the Orange Bowl in 1946, 1984, 1988, 1989, and 1992, the Sugar Bowl in 1990, the Gator Bowl in 2000, and the Cotton Bowl in 1991. The Hurricanes were named national champions in 1983, 1987, 1989, 1991, and 2001. Florida State won the Orange Bowl in 1993, 1994, and 1996, the Sugar Bowl in 1989, 1998, and 2000, and the Cotton Bowl in 1992. The Seminoles were named national champions in 1993 and 1999. The University of Florida won the Orange Bowl in 1967 and 1999, the Gator Bowl in 1984 and 1993, the Florida Citrus Bowl in 1998, the Sugar Bowl in 1994, and defeated Florida State in the 1997 Sugar Bowl to win the national championship.